A gok-pobation



W. A. WINN. IMPLEMENT FOR MARKING noor RAFTER cuts.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1 ,1920.

1,389,556, PabentedA g. 30, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. W. A. WINN. IMPLEMENT FOR MARKING ROOF RAFTER CUTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7, 1920.

1 ,389,556, Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

W M W: I M

' w. A. WINN. IMPLEMENT FOR M ARKING ROOF RAFTER CUTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1920.

1,389,556. I v; PatentedAug. 30,1921.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I Z Z1 JPANOFRAF 'fEN PE R FOOT RUN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARNER A. WINN, OF CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO WINN COMPANY, OF

CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

IMPLEMENT FOR MARKING ROOF-RAFTER OUTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

Application filed August '7, 1920. Serial No. 401,845.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARNER A. WINN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Clarksville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Implements for Marking Roof-Rafter Cuts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to rules for marking the cuts to be used in framing roofs, and particularly to improvements on the rule for this purpose patented to me on June 15, 1920, #1343504.

In the construction of ordinary roofs, there are common rafters, jack rafters, hip and valley rafters, and cripple rafters, and these rafters have to be cut so as to fit at the base against the plate and against the ridge. Each rafter, therefore, has to be formed with a top out and a bottom out or heel cut. Certain of the rafters, as for instance the jack, hip, valley and cripple rafters, in addition to being angularly cut at their ends, must be beveled to fit properly against the ridge rafter and other rafters with which they are used.

Heretofore, these cuts have been usually marked by means of steel squares or like instruments which are formed on their two arms with a plurality of rows of graduations, one set of graduations being used for each cut to be made, and considerable calculation is necessary in order to use these steel squares and make the proper cuts. Not only this, but it is an easy matter for a person using a steel square to make a mistake unless great care is used.

The general object of my invention is the same as that stated in my prior patent, namely to provide an instrument which may be adjusted without difficulty in accordance with a very simple series of graduations which, when adjusted, will provide for marking the top and bottom cuts of common rafters, top and bottom outs of jack rafters, and the bevel for the face thereof where the jack rafters join to the hip rafter, the instrument being also adapted to be used for marking the proper angle of the top out and the proper double bevel for hip and valley rafters without readjustment, and for marking the proper angle for the top cut and the proper double bevel for cripple rafters without readjustment, this instrument being easily adjusted for roofs of any desired pitch or adjustable for roofs where the pitch of one side of the roof is different from the pitch on the other side of the roof.

More specifically, the present invention is designed to provide a construction of this character having a much more general applicatlon and being adapted for a greater number of purposes than the instrument which was the subject matter of my prior patent, and particularly provide means whereby angles may be readily laid out on boards or planks.

A further object is to provide an instrument of this character which is adapted to be used for marking out the angles of hexpgon, octagon, decagon and dodecagon roo s.

Another object is to provide an instrument of this character which is simpler in construction and easier of adjustment than the rule described in my prior patent.

And another object is to improve upon the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will appear more fully hereafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of an implement constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a like view to Fig. 1, but show ing the implement applied in marking an end cut for a rafter;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the instrument partly broken away;

Fig. 4; is a side elevation of the instrument shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a section 011 the line 88 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary side elevations of the two faces of sector 26;

Fig. 11 is a face View of one of the sectors 15;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevation of the periphery of sector 26;

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that my instrument includes a rectangular plate, designated 10, which may be made of relatively heavy sheet metal, the plate being formed in two sections Aand 13 joined by transversely extending wires 11 and 12 (see Figs. 7 and 8). The rod or wire 12 is surrounded by a head 13 formed on a small plate 14 whose purpose will be later stated. Preferably the two sections A and B of the plate 10 are formed of two sheets of sheet metal to permit the insertion of certain sector-shaped members 15 between these two sheets of metal and permit their free oscillation between these two sheets. These sector-shaped members are provided with arcuate slots 16, through which the set bolts 17 pass, these bolts being secured to one of the sheets of material forming the plate 10 and extending through the other sheet, and each carrying a wing nut. Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the bolt 17 passes through an arcuate guide strip 18 which fits the slot 16 and which is attached by means of a rivet 19 to one of the sheets of metal forming the plate 10.

The ends of the two sections A and B are closed except for the opening 20 between the two sheets of metal forming the member 10, which openings extend inward from the outside edges of the plate 10 to the point 21, and

from there to the inner edge of each section the space between the two sheets of metal is closed. Each quadrant or sector 15 is formed with a triangular leg 22, the extremity of which engages with .he end of the cor responding section A or B at the point 23, as seen best in Fig. 1, while the arcuate portion of the sector-shaped plate 15 extends through the opening 20. The points 23 form the pivotal points for the movement of the sector-shaped plates 15 and, of course, the slots 16 are concentric to these points 23. The outer edges of the arcuate plates are formed with a series of degree graduations H, and inward of the slot 16 each plate is formed with four series of degree graduations K, each series being accompanied by words indicating the use of these degree graduations, as for instance hexagon, octagon, decagon and dodecagon. The plates are graduated practically the same on each face. 7 The inner edges of the sections A and B are spaced from each other by a slot, and disposed through this longitudinally extending slot in the plate 10, that is through the space between the two sections of the plate, is a square, that is a sector-shaped member 26 composed of parallel plates 27 and 28 (see Fig. 5), these plates at their outer ends being outwardly bent. as at 29, then in- 'a.rdly bent toward each other. as at 30, thus providing an approximately T-shaped slot 31 between the inwardly turned edges 30. The head of a set bolt 32 extends into this T-shaped slot, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and this bolt 32 carries upon it the wing nut which bears upon a washer 34, which in turn bears upon the plate 14 previously referred to as being attached to the plate 10. The apex of the sector-shaped member 26, as illustrated in Fig. 7, is formed with a semicylindrical seat 35 which bears against and oscillates on the transverse rod or wire 11. The end edges of the sector-shaped member 26 are closed by webs 36, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction of this member 26, but I have formedthe device as shown in detail in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 so as to prevent the outer faces of the plates 27 and 28 from coming in contact with and rubbing against the inner edges of the sections A and B.

It will be obvious from the construction above described that the sector-shaped member 26 or square may be rotated on its pivot 11 through the slot or space between the two sections A and B, and that it may be held in any desired rotatively adjusted position by tightening up the wing nut 33. The free edge of the small plate 1 1 forms the index member wherewith the graduations on the inwardly turned edges 30 are to be read. In the use of this device, the plate 10 is designed to rest upon the rafter, as shown in Fig. 2, when the implement is to be used for marking jack rafters as an example, and the sector-shaped rules or wings 15 are angularly adjusted, as indicated, so as to indicate the bevel of the rafter, while the lower edge or end of the member 26 is used to mark the angular cut at the end of the rafter. By the use of this implement, every cut which is necessary to be made in order to frame a roof may be marked without practically any calculation, and by simple reference to the scales and graduations on the sections A and B, the outer faces of the plates 27 and 28, the graduations on the outer circumferential edge 30, and the graduations on the sectorshaped wings 15.

The periphery of the sector-shaped member 26, formed by the portions 30, are scaled as follows The right hand margin Z) in Fig. 1. and in Fig. 12 is provided with a scale, designated 0, which is the pitch scale for common and jack rafters, that is the scale is graduated in accordance with the pitch of the roof to show inches rise to foot run. The inner margin of this portion 7), as illustrated in Fig. 12, is graduated in degrees. The left hand portion a. in Fig. 12 on its outer margin carries a pitch scale D to be used in forming the hip and valley rafters, while the inner margin of the left hand portion (6 in Fig. 12 is provided with the numbers of the degree scale. The face 27 of the sector 26 is formed with a plurality of radial lines 0 directed to the pivotal center of the sector and to the periphery of the sector, and if extended these lines would intersect the graduations of the scale C. These radial lines 6 cross and intersect two i F and F.

f and f forming scales f indlcate span 111 feet, indicate span 1n lnches.

series of curved lines The lines while the lines f By finding the proper pitch graduations on on its outer curved margin by degrees, as at the periphery of the sector and the number in the scale F indicating half the width of the building, then at the intersection of the proper radial line 6 and the proper curved line f, there will be found the numeral denoting the length of the common or jack rafter for that span of building with that particular degree of pitch. If the sector 26 be adjusted so as to bring the pointer or in dicating plate 14: in proper relation to the proper graduation mark of the scale C and is then set by tightening up the wing nut 38, and if then the plate 10 be applied upon the face of the rafter, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower limb or edge of the sector will be disposed at the proper angle for the cut to be used on a common rafter with that particular pitch roof and particular span. If the span is in even feet, the length of span is read on the scale F. If the span is in feet and inches, it is read on the scale F and the scale F and the result added inorder to find the length of the rafter. Of course, it will be understood that the same result is secured for hip and valley rafters by reading the scales on the face 28 of the sector 26 and in exactly the same way. The degree scale on the periphery of the sector. is merely used when it is desired to set the sector to some particular degree with relation to the plane of the plate 10 so that one of the end edges of the sector may be disposed at any desired angle with relation to the plate 10.

In order to cut the bevel of the jack rafters, that is make the side out for jack rafters and cripple rafters and make the side out for the hip and valley rafters, the quadrants or sectors 15 are used. These are formed with the scale G (see Fig. 11) and this scale is made in accordance with the pitch scale on the periphery of the sector 26. Thus if the sector is shifted to a position indicating 6 rise to the foot, the sectors 15 are also shifted until the numeral 6 of the scale G comes immediately beneath the end edge of the section A or B as the case may be. The sector is then clamped by the wing nut 1? and the outer edge of the sector will now be disposed at the proper angle to make the bevel for the jack or cripple rafter, as indicated in F 2, when the instrument is placed upon the beam or rafter, as indicated in Fig. 2. Thus it will be seen that the lower edge or limb of the sector 26 when applied to the beam will indicate the cut to be made for the jack rafter or cripple rafter and the sector 15 will indicate the cut to be made to secure the proper bevel for the jack or cripple rafter. Of course, one limb or edge of the quadrant will be properly set for indicating the ridge cut, while the opposite limb will be set for properly indicating the toe cut of the rafter where it meets the plate.

Each of the sector plates 15 is graduate r H, so that these sectors may be set for roofs of uneven pitches, that is where one side of the roof is ofone pitch and the opposite side of another pitch. These are set in accordance with a scale, preferably laid out on one or both of the faces of the plate 10, this scale being generally designated 1. The scale there given shows exactly how these sector plates 15 should be set for uneven pitches. For setting the sectors 15 for even pitches, however, the scale G is used, as heretofore stated. lVhere, in setting the scale for uneven pitches, it is necessary that the sector be set to a degree less. than for instance, (see Fig. 11) then the sector 15 is set with relation to the scale 5 and the line is drawn with relation to the edge 37. This is obviously rendered necessary by the fact that the sectors cannot be shifted inward to a point where the zero graduation on the degree scale will coincide with the end edge of the plate 10.

Also extending concentric to the extreme point 38 of each sector 15 is a series of scales K which are designed for use in cutting the rafters of hexagonal, octagonal, decagonal, and dodecagonal roofs. These scales are marked with graduations from 1 to 90 indicating the various pitches and are* offset with relation to each other so as to secure the proper pitches for the various forms of roofs named. For cutting jack and cripple rafters and hip and valley rafters of a hexagon, octagon, .decagon or dodecagon roof, th scales L are used, formed on the opposite sides of the sector 26, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, these scales being arranged concentric to the center of motion of the sector and being intersected by pitch lines Z coinciding with graduations on the periphery of the sector.

The scales I are formed of intersecting lines extending at right angles to each other, each series of lines being accompanied by the numerals, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, indicating inch rise to foot run. These scales, as before stated, are for use in setting the sectorshaped plates 15 for making the side cuts for roofs of uneven pitches, that is where one side of the roof has one pitch and the opposite side of the roof has another pitch and indicating the degrees of angle at which said plates 15 should be set for different forms of roof. Thus, for instance, if one side of the roof has an 8 rise to the foot and the other side of the roof has a 6 rise to the foot and it is desired to find the side cut for the jack and cripple rafters or for the hip and valley rafters of such a roof, then reference is made to the scale I by find &

ing the figure in the series extending along one border of the scale corresponding to the pitch line of one side of the roof and the figure running along the other side of the scale corresponding to the pitch line of the other side of the roof, then at the intersection of the spaces leading from these figures will be found the numerals which will give the number of degrees of angle to which the members 1.5 must be set in order to secure the proper side cut. If, for instance, it is desired to find the side cut for a rafter which will have a rise of to a foot to be used in connection with another rafter having a rise of 5 to the foot, then reference is made to the figure 8 in the column extending transversely across the plate 10 and to the numeral (5 in the column extending longitudinally of the plate and at the intersect-ion of these two columns will be found the indicia indicating the angle of cut for the rafter having an 8 rise to the foot. If, on the other hand, it is desired to find the angle of cut for a rafter having a 6 rise and which is to be used against or in conjunction with a rafter having an 8" rise to the foot, then the numeral (3 is found in the transverse column and the numeral 8 in the longitudinal column, and at the junction of the two columns will be found indicia indicating the angle of the proper cut to be made and by which the sector-shaped plates 15 are to be adjusted.

It will be seen that this device is much simpler and more certain in its operation than the device which forms the subject matter of my prior patent, in that there is no necessity of adjusting the segmental-shaped member nor the base plate, as there was in my prior patent in order to secure the proper adjustment for the rules controlling the side cuts. Furthermore, the device may be used for measuring and indicating angles for various kinds of work, the instrument being used in order to mark off a line which is angular to some other line by, for instance, placing the plate 10 against one face of the board and adjusting the sector-shaped member 26 to the proper angle, as indicated by the degree scale on the flange 80, and then the limb or edge of the member 26 will indicate on the board the line to be drawn. Like use may be made of the sector-shaped members 15, which may be adjusted by means of the degree scales H. The device may be readily disassembled by releasing the set nut 33 and turning the sector-shaped member 26 around until it is out of engagement with 'the bolt 32, and then removing the semicylindrical seat 35 from its engagement with the wire or rod 11. Then the segmental member 26 may be laid flat upon the plate 10 for transportation.

It is obvious that the device may be as readily assembled. As before remarked, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction for the segmental member 26, though preferably it is formed as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Neither do I wish to be limited to the enact manner of supporting the'sector-shaped blades 15. However, I have found the construction to be thoroughly effective in actual use.

I claim 1. An instrument of the character de scribed including a relatively flat plate adapted to be applied against one edge face of a rafter, and an approximately sector-shaped member disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and having two edges disposed at right angles and pivotally engaged with the plate at the intersection of the edges, said member being thereby adjustable relative to the plate, the two faces of the sector-shaped member having thereon radial lines designating pitches and there being pitch scales asso ciated with said radial lines, the outer curved edge of the sector-shaped member being graduated and there being an index member carried upon the plate with which said gradnations areto be read.

2. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively wide flat slate adapted to be applied against one edge face of a rafter, and an approximately sector-shaped member having two edges disposed at right angles, said member being disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and at the intersection of said edges being formed with a seat pivotally and detachably engageable with one end of the plate, said member being rotatively adjustable around its pivotal axis relative to the plate, and the two faces of the sector-shaped member having thereon radial pitch lines and associated indicia.

3. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively wide flat plate formed in two sections lying in the same plane but spaced from each other, the plate being adapted to be disposed against one edge face of a rafter, and a sectorshaped member having two edges disposed at right angles, said member being disposed between the sections and in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and being pivotally engaged at one end operatively with the end of the plate whereby said member may be rotatively adjusted relative to the plate, and means carried by said plate for holding the member in rotatively adjusted positions, the two faces of the sectorshapcd member having thereon a series of radial lines indicating pitches and associated with indicia indicating the length of rafters per foot and inch run.

4. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively wide, thin flat plate adapted to be applied against one edge face of a rafter, the plate being formed to provide oppositely disposed separatedsections connected at their outer and inner ends, a sector-shaped memberhaving two edges disposed at right angles and disposed between the two sections of the plate in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and pivotally engaged with said plate at the intersection of-the said edges, said member being thereby rotatively adjustable relative to the base, the peripheral edge of the sector-shaped member being formed with pitch and degree scales and one face of the sector-shaped member having radial lines corresponding to the pitches used for jack and common rafters, the other face having radial lines indicating pitches used for hip and valley rafters, said radial lines on both faces of the member being intersectedby a series of lines concentric to the center of motion of the member indicating length of rafters per foot run and indicia indicating length of rafters per foot run disposed at the intersection of the radial and concentric lines.

5. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively flat plate adapted to be applied against one edge'face of a rafter, and a sector-shaped member disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and having two edges disposed at right angles and pivotally mounted upon the plate at the intersection of said edges, said. member being thereby rotatively adj ustable relative to the plate, the two faces of the sector-shaped member having thereon radial pitch lines by which the member may be rotatively adjusted, one end of the plate having mounted therein an approximately sector-shaped plate, the apex of the sectorshaped plate being disposed coincidently with the apex of the sectorshaped member and said sector-shaped plate being adjustable concentrically to the apex of the sectorshaped plate and having thereon scales indicating the angles to be used in marking the side cuts for jack and cripple rafters and for hip and valley rafters.

6. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively flat plate adapted to be applied against one edge face of a rafter, the plate being formed in two spaced sections, a sector-shaped member disposed between said sections and extending in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and having its two edges disposed at right angles to each other, the sector-shaped member being pivotally engaged at its apex with one end of the plate whereby the sector-shaped member may be rotatively adjusted with reference to the plate, both faces of the plate being formed with radial lines indicating the angles to be used in setting rafters and with concentric lines and indicia indicating length of rafter per foot or inch run, and sector-shaped plates associated with each section of the first named plate and disposed at that end of the plate adjacent the pex of the sector-shaped member, said sector-shaped plates having their apices disposed in conjunction with the apex of the scctor-shaped member and being mounted for angular movement concentric to said apices, each of said sector-shaped plates having thereon scales indicating the angular adjustment of the secter-shaped plates corresponding to the side cuts for ack and cripple rafters and for hip and valley rafters.

7. An instrument of the character described comprising a relatively flat plate adapted to be applied against one edge face of a rafter and formed in two sections separated from each other but connected at their ends, each section being formed of two sheets of material, a sector-shaped member disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and between the two sections and pivotally engaged at its apex with one end of said plate, means for holding the sector-shaped member in any rotatively adjusted relation relative to the plate, the sector-shaped memher being provided on its opposite faces with radial pitch lines and with a series of lines intersecting the pitch lines and concentric to the apex of the sector shaped member and i 'ith indicia disposed at the junction of said lines indicating length of rafter per foot and inch run, and sectorshaped plates, one for each section of the first named plate and shiftably disposed between the two thicknesses of the first named plate, the apices of the sector-shaped plates being disposed in conjunction with the apex of the sectorshaped member, said sector-shaped plates having thereon scales whereby the plates may be adjusted to indicate the side cuts for jaclt and cripple rafters and for hip and valley rafters, and means for holding the sector-shaped plates in adjusted relation.

8. An instrument of the character de scribed comprising a relatively flat plate formed in two sections separated from each other, said plate also including rods connecting- -said sections at their ends, a sectorshaped member disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the plate and between said sections of the plate and pivotally engaged at one end with one of said rods, a hinged member attached to the other of said rods and bearing against the periphery of said sector-shaped member, a clamping bolt carried by said hinged plate and engaging the periphery of the sector-shaped member, whereby the sector-shaped member may be held in any rotatively adjusted relation to the plane of the first named plate, the periphery of the sector-shaped member being provided with degree graduations and with pitch graduations and one face of the sector-shaped member being provided with a series of radial pitch lines extending from the pitch lines on the periphery of the member toward the apex thereof and with a series of lines concentric to the apex of the sector-shaped member and disposed at intervals corresponding to the different half widths of the building, one side of said sector-shaped member having at the intersection of said radial and concentric lines indicia indicating the lengths of common and jflCliItlftBlS per foot and inch run, the other side of the sector-shaped member at the junction of said radial and concentric lines having thereon indicia indicating the length of hip and valley rafters per foot and inch run.

9. An instrument of the character described including a relatively fiat plate adapted to be applied against one edge ace of a rafter including two separated sections, an approximately sector-shaped member having two edges disposed at right angles and connected by a curved edge, said member being disposed between and in a plane at right angles to the plane of the two sections of the plate and being pivotally engaged at means mounted its apex with said plate, upon the plate for holding said member in any rotatively adjusted position, said member being provided upon one face with a series of radial pitch lines extending from the apex of the member, and a plurality of series of lines concentric to the apex of the member and intersecting the pitch lines and corresponding to various widths of buildings, there being indicia disposed at the intersection of said radial and concentric lines indicating the length of rafters per foot and inch run, one side of the sector-shaped member having thereon indicia relating to commen and jack rafters for rectangular roofs, hexagonal, octagonal, decagonal, and dodecagonal roots, the other side of said member having thereon indicia relating to hip and valley rai'ters for rectangular roofs and for hexagonal, octagonal, decagonal or dodecagonal roois.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

- WARNER A. NIN'N, 

